HEAD TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS. IMAGINE A BEAUTIFUL SMILE WITH PERFECTLY STRAIGHT TEETH IN HALF THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TRADITIONAL BRACES TO GET THE JOB DONE. THAT'S THE PROMISE OF A NEW DEVICE THAT SOME ARE CALLING THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH IN BRACES IN 15 YEARS. LOCAL 2'S RACHEL McNEILL SHOWS US HOW IT WORKS AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS. NICE. Reporter: 14-YEAR-OLD HAILEY HAS HAD CROOKED TEETH FOR YEARS. MY TEETH, THEY WERE ALL CLUTTERED TOGETHER. AND SO I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO BE LIKE THAT ANYMORE. Reporter: THE EIGHTH GRADE CHEERLEADER AND ASPIRING ACTRESS WAS READY FOR A SMILE THAT WOULD REFLECT HER SHINING PERSONALITY, EVEN IF THAT MEANT BRACES. I DIDN'T WANT THEM ALL THROUGH MY HIGH SCHOOL YEAR LIKE MY MOM DAD. I WORE THEM FROM EIGHTH GRADE TO MY SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO IF SHE CAN HAVE HERS OFF BEFORE SHE GOES INTO HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S AWESOME. Reporter: THE DENTIST SUGGESTED ACCELIDIFFERENT. IT'S A GIFT. Reporter: IT'S A VIBRATING MOUTHPIECE THE PATIENT WEARS OVER THEIR BRACES 20 MINUTES A DAY TO SPEED UP RESULTS. THIS VIDEO ANIMATION SHOWS HER TEETH MOVING AFTER SEVEN MONTHS. SHE HAD THE EYE TOOTH BUR REED UP, ET CETERA. AND -- BURIED UP, ELSE. AND NORMALLY IT'S A YEAR. HERE IT IS IN SEVEN MONTHS, IT'S ALL IN PLACE NOW. Reporter: CHECK OUT THE BEFORE AND AFTER. WHEN I SAW THE PICTURES, I WAS LIKE, THOSE WERE MY TEETH! AND NOW, AND SO IT'S CRAZY TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. Reporter: THE DEVICE COMES IN SIX DIFFERENT SIZES AND IT'S CUSTOM FIT TO THE PATIENT. NOT ONLY IS IT FASTER, BUT IT'S GENTLER. YOU DON'T GET THE SAME PAIN AND SENSITIVITY OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH BRACES. SO I USUALLY DO IT EITHER WHEN I'M READING OR DOING HOMEWORK OR WATCHING TV, JUST WHEN I HAVE EXTRA FREE TIME. Reporter: DR. LYLES SAYS IT HELPS CONVINCE ADULTS WHO ARE WARY OF WEARING BRACES FOR YEARS. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT NINE MONTHS IS PRETTY MUCH THE LINE THAT PEOPLE DRAW, ESPECIALLY FEMALES, ARE WILLING TO GO. AND IF SO, WE CAN DO IT IN NINE MONTHS OR LESS, THEY GO FOR THAT. Reporter: NOW HAILEY SAYS SHE'S READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT. I FEEL LIKE WHEN I WALK INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND SMILING WITHOUT BRACES ON. Reporter: THE DEVICE CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM $750 TO $995 OR ABOUT 15% OF THE TOTAL ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT FEE.

HOUSTON -

After years of hiding their smiles, record numbers of adults are now getting orthodontic treatments, more than half of them are women.

A Houston company has patented a breakthrough in braces that experts say will cut the patient wear time in half.

Hailey Wammack, 14, has had crooked teeth for years.Hailey told Local 2, "My teeth they were all cluttered together and so I didn't want them to be like that anymore."

Created by a Houston company, Acceledent is an FDA approved, specially prescribed, vibrating mouthpiece the patient wears over their braces just 20 minutes a day to speed up results.

Dr. Lyles explained that in Hailey's case, "She had the eye tooth buried up in the gum bones, etc. and normally it's well over a year for that to all come down and get in place and here she is. In seven months, it's all in place now."

Hailey said, "When I saw the (before and after) pictures, I was like, 'Those are my teeth?!' It's so crazy to see the difference in what they look like.The Acceledent device comes in six different sizes and is custom fit to the patient. It's not only faster, but it's gentler. So you don't get the same pain and sensitivity often associated with braces."

Hailey added, "I usually do it either when I'm reading or watching TV or doing homework and I have extra free time."

Dr. Lyles said Acceledent helps convince adults who are wary of wearing braces for years.

He explained, "Research has shown that nine months is pretty much the line that... adults, especially females, are willing to go and so if we can do it for nine months or less, they'll go for it."Now, Hailey says she's ready for the spotlight.

She smiled, "I just feel like when I walk into high school, I'm going to be smiling without braces on."

The Acceledent device can cost anywhere from $750 to $950 or about 15 percent of the total orthodontic treatment fee.

Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Advertisement

Comments

The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms Of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.